


Forsaking All Others

by Alice_h



Series: A Place of Our Own [16]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Conflict, Drama, F/F, General Chaos, Pregnancy, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-03
Updated: 2020-03-12
Packaged: 2021-02-23 04:03:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23005444
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Alice_h/pseuds/Alice_h
Summary: Catra and Adora's wedding is finally here, but a secret threatens to bring their worlds crashing down
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra)
Series: A Place of Our Own [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1511849
Comments: 298
Kudos: 82





	1. Pre-Marital Bliss

**Author's Note:**

> Apparently being at work didn't stop me from writing constantly so it's done sooner than I hoped. Enjoy!

The summer had been a scorcher, one of the hottest on record, and the feverish temperatures had been incessant for weeks. Only now, in the second week of September, was the heat beginning to fade and finding itself replaced with a slight chill in the air. For Adora, the good weather of the past few months had been overshadowed by the biggest fight of her life, the struggle against her mental illness. She had made substantial progress, and though far from out of the woods, her friends had noticed a marked improvement from the seven months of weekly therapy sessions. She seemed happier – not the cheerful girl they’d known her to be for so long, but she appeared to be returning to a normal life. And as the date approached, it was her now-imminent wedding that had taken over the mantle of the most pressing issue for her.

“Are you feeling nervous?”

Her therapist’s simple question didn’t begin to cover it. Adora was days away from getting married and, though Catra had taken on the bulk of the preparations, she still felt as though things were nowhere near ready. They had the venue set, they both had their outfits, the food and guest list were in hand and they’d even arranged for Amber to stay with Mara for the week. Adora was excited, of course, but having such a big life event looming over everything didn’t do much to help her anxiety.

“I’m terrified,” she admitted, “I love Catra and I can’t wait to marry her, but… wow, it’s really overwhelming. I won’t ever admit it to her, but I am really struggling with all this. It’s not even that I’m worried about it going wrong, it’s just...it’s way too much for my brain to comprehend.”

“And when you say you’re struggling...?”

Adora shrugged guiltily, “I slipped. Just once, I swear, and it wasn’t anything too bad. I wish I hadn’t, but my brain was going a million miles an hour and I couldn’t stop it.”

“Oh Adora,” Mark rolled his eyes, “You are a real idiot sometimes. Why didn’t you use any of your skills?”

“I just… in the moment I totally forgot. My mind was fixed on one thing and I guess I didn’t _want_ to try anything else.”

The man tapped his fingers on the desk as he thought for a few moments, “We need to put your mind at rest, don’t we? It’s time for a bit of coping ahead. Tell me what’s worrying you about the wedding – what’s your big fear?”

“Wow…” she gave a slight chuckle, “Everything. What if we forgot something important? What if the hotel cancels on us at the last moment? What if Catra is really ill? What if she decides she doesn’t want to marry me?”

“Okay, okay… I think the likelihood of a couple of those is negligible. But why don’t we take the hotel cancelling as an example and work through how you would cope?”

Adora fiddled nervously with the binder she held on her lap. Even thinking about something so catastrophic happening filled her with anxiety, and the idea that anything would get in the way of marrying her girlfriend was unfathomable, “I wouldn’t.”

“Yes, you would. Think mindfully, what would you do?”

“I guess… call around everywhere I can think of to see if they have a cancellation or something,” she was met with a silence that encouraged her to continue, “I could rearrange the whole thing, not that I want to... Uh, I could ask Catra to deal with everything for me, though I’d feel pretty bad about that.”

The therapist applauded, “These are all good ideas! And it goes to show that even in that worst-case scenario, you could cope without resorting to anything self-destructive.”

Adora wasn’t convinced. It was one thing to imagine something going wrong from the comfort of a therapist’s office, far removed from the reality of the situation. But if something like that actually did happen, she knew that the ability to think calmly would go completely out of the window. In all likelihood, if the hotel _did_ cancel, she would almost certainly collapse in tears and probably never stop crying. And what of the other things that could go wrong? The one that preyed on her mind the most was the idea that Catra wouldn’t want to marry her – she would never cope in that event. After everything she’d been through, to lose the woman she loved – the one person she worked hardest to recover for – would be, without any exaggeration, fatal.

“Still with me, Adora?” her therapist noted her mind wandering and brought her back to the room, “You need to have more confidence in yourself. We’ve been seeing each other for, what, seven months now, and I’ve watched you excel in all the skills you’ve been learning. You _know_ how to deal with anything that comes your way. And like I said, the likelihood of anything going spectacularly wrong is very low. I’m sure nothing will spoil your big day.”

She attempted a smile that came across more as a grimace, “Yeah, I’m over thinking things. We’ve planned everything so thoroughly, and I need to try and remember that. What could go wrong?”

* * *

“Fancy hotel, guys,” Glimmer admired the decor as they walked – or in her case, waddled – down the corridor to find their rooms. She'd often admired the place whilst driving past on the way to work, but had never been inside. The modern, warm interior was as impressive as she had imagined.

Adora gave her girlfriend’s hand a squeeze, “Catra found it. When she showed me the pictures, I was blown away… I didn’t even want to _look_ at another venue.”

“Ow!” she inhaled sharply, putting her arm over her stomach, “I think this one wishes you had. Baby really does not appreciate the long walk.”

“We got you the closest room to the entrance that we could. You and Bow here, I’m a couple of doors down and Catra’s just opposite me. It’s going to be like a little zone of love when you walk past!”

Catra chuckled and pecked a kiss on her fiancée’s cheek, “Just a force field of passion. Mostly consisting of Adora’s lesbian pheromones.”

“I do not have ‘lesbian pheromones’!”

“Well something’s attracting me to you. I just… can’t… resist…” her overdramatic manner made Adora laugh as she hurried in front of her girlfriend and spun around, pressing her lips to Adora’s in a tender kiss.

“Save it for the wedding night, you two!" Bow jokingly pretended to pull her away, "There are children present. Well, one child. And it’s not due for three weeks, but you never know what they’re taking in. Still, all seriousness, it’s wonderful to see you two so in love.”

Adora wore a smile of genuine contentment. Just the slightest mention of the love she had for Catra sent her heart soaring, “Thanks, Bow, it’s beyond amazing. Catra is the love of my life and I’m just so proud to be becoming her wife. She’s my best friend, my confidante, my world. She knows everything about me, and I know everything about her. Mind you, I guess you’re both like that too, huh, Glim?”

“Hm?” Glimmer shifted uneasily, and not just from the discomfort of the child she was carrying. Visions of the night she and Catra had been together flitted uncontrollably through her mind, and with them, the accompanying guilt resurged. She was torn. On one hand, seeing her best friend so happy, especially after the year she’d had, was a wonderful sight she thought would never happen, and she didn’t want to burst that bubble. But she couldn’t escape the feeling that she was betraying Adora, that it was wrong to keep the truth from her, especially given the commitment she would be making the following day.

“You okay?”

“Uh, yeah… yeah. The baby’s just been kicking a lot today, I need to lie down.”

“Well, your room’s right here, so you can lie as much as you want!” Adora’s cheerfulness was short lived as she realised her poor choice of words, “I mean, uh, lying down. Not lying as in ‘saying things that aren’t true’. Don’t do _that_ sort of lying.”

Glimmer sighed. Adora’s slip of the tongue was more pertinent than she could ever have known and, had it not been for the pressing need to get off her feet, she would have seriously considered taking Adora aside for a chat. The baby, however, took precedence, and she shuffled into her room, waving a half-hearted goodbye to her friends.

Alone in the corridor, the two brides-to-be embraced each other, their eyes locked in a gaze that seemed to isolate them from their surroundings. Their stomachs both bubbled away with intense feelings of love, and their touch was electric, as though every inch of contact were a message of sanctuary; that as long as they were together, they were home.

“This is it then,” Catra spoke softly, still looking deep into Adora’s eyes, “Time to say goodnight. I’ll see you on our wedding day!”

“See you on our wedding day!” the blonde giggled quietly with excitement, before the couple fell into another passionate kiss. After what felt like a lifetime, they parted, keeping their hands linked for as long as they could before disappearing into their hotel rooms.

Catra flopped onto her bed. Did life get much better than this? She was less than twenty-four hours away from marrying the woman of her dreams. And after everything they’d both been through, they deserved to be happy. The years she thought she would never amount to anything, the difficulties Adora had been through… it felt as though karma was finally repaying them with something good. Closing her eyes, vivid visions of walking down the aisle came to her mind, seeing her fiancée looking stunning in her dress with all their friends and loved ones around them. Amber would be looking cuter than ever as a bridesmaid, holding a multicoloured array of flowers as she accompanied Adora into the room. ‘Perfection’ seemed like an inadequate word to describe the scene – it felt as though everything she ever wanted was being delivered to her all at once. When she could finally call Adora her wife, that would be the moment she knew her life would be complete.

A knock at the door made her fantasies come to a halt. Assuming that Adora would be standing outside, wanting one last kiss with her wife-to-be, she hopped off the mattress and hurried to open it, a wry smile across her face. The moment she depressed the handle the door burst open, with Bow barging past her into the room. His voice was filled with an anger that she’d never seen in him before, “What the fuck have you done, Catra?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know you dun goofed when Bow says fuck


	2. Pinned Together, Falling Apart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The secret is out... but how will everyone take the news?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GLIMMER NO.  
> Also ADORA NO and CATRA NO.  
> Even a bit of BOW NO.

“I’m sorry, what are you going on about?”

Glimmer appeared in the doorway behind Bow, looking similarly agitated and wrenching Bow’s arm back towards her, “Don’t do this, please.”

“You slept with Glimmer?” he escaped her grip, moving towards Catra until she was inches from his piercing stare, “You couldn’t stop yourself, could you?”

“I, uh… You _told_ him?”

Glimmer’s face was a picture of guilt. She was regretting the reaction that her admission had induced in her boyfriend, but there was still some relief in having finally come clean, “I couldn’t handle the lying any more. I’m sorry.”

“I thought we... You said you’d forget about it.”

“Leave her out of it!” Bow roared, banging his palm on the wall next to her. His uncharacteristic anger was frightening, and Catra started to tremble in fear as her usual confidence melted away, “How could you do something so stupid?”

His girlfriend again tried to pull him back, but once more he shook her off, “Bow, please! Leave her alone! Gah, the baby… please…”

“What have you got to say for yourself? Huh?”

Catra’s voice failed her, the words coming out as a nervous whimper. She cleared her throat but still came up short when she tried to speak. In all honesty, she didn’t know what to say – she’d tried to put it all behind her and had almost forgotten it had ever happened. It should never have come out, and certainly not like this, not hours before her wedding.

“Say something! Tell me why you can’t keep your hands to yourself!”

Glimmer pleaded behind him, still trying and failing to restrain him. She winced as another bolt of pain emanated from her stomach, “Bow, please, think about the baby! Don’t do this."

“What the hell is going on? Why’s everyone shouting?” Adora’s form came into view through the doorway, and Catra’s stomach fell. She couldn’t find out. Not today. Maybe Catra would have told her eventually, when enough time had passed that it wouldn’t hurt as much, but that option had now been wrenched away from her. She had no control over it anymore, and she knew this was going to be painful for both of them.

Bow backed away from the brunette, turning his attention to her fiancée instead, “Catra had sex with Glimmer. She’s been keeping it a secret for months, threatening her not to tell me.”

A silence fell upon the room as Adora took in what she had just heard. To her, it felt as though her world had come to a crashing halt, that the life she knew had shattered into a thousand pieces. Her fiancée and her best friend? Nothing could be more devastating, and there was only one thing she needed to know, “Is it true, Catra?”

Her fiancée nodded, having little idea how else to respond. She wouldn’t lie to Adora – she _couldn’t_ – but admitting what she had done filled her with shame. If she could have gone back in time and changed it, she’d have done so in a heartbeat. Now she had to face her girlfriend’s reaction, and that was a terrifying prospect.

“Glimmer, Bow, you should leave.”

“Adora,” Glimmer placed her hand on the young woman’s shoulder, “I’m so-”

“GET OUT!! NOW!!”

Adora’s ire was so intense, they could do nothing but leave in an uneasy silence. Adora slammed the door shut and turned her attention back to her fiancée. She stared deep into Catra’s eyes with a glare of barely-restrained fury, all the while her mind was churning, trying to work out how she felt about the news.

“I’m… I’m sorry, Adora,” she ran a hand through her hair, attempting to comfort herself from the despair that facing her failings had created. Her anxiety had soared, and she knew she had only herself to blame.

“You’re sorry? You fuck my best friend, hide it from me, lie to my face, and I find out the night before our wedding and you’re _sorry_?”

“I don’t know what else I can say, I-”

“When was it?”

Catra couldn’t bring herself to look at anything but the floor. She didn’t feel worthy of looking her fiancée in the eye, certainly not now, “It doesn’t matter.”

“IT MATTERS TO ME! When did it happen?”

“The night the club got broken into,” she covered her face with her hand, pressing into her temples to try and relieve the pressure that she felt inside, “I swear, Adora, it was only once. It was a mistake, we… we were worried about what had happened, we were scared. I wasn’t thinking properly.”

“You were scared?” Adora’s voice started as a whisper but soon erupted into a shout, “DOES THAT MAKE IT FINE? Because I’m _scared_ that you’ve just ruined everything – should I go find someone else to fuck?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

“Was it worth it? Was she good? Was she better than me?”

“No! God, no…” Catra gasped, “It was nothing… Adora, I’m sorry.”

Adora began to pace around the small room, a plethora of emotions boiling inside her. There was plenty of anger at Catra’s lies, but it was mixed with fear of what came next for the couple, as well as disappointment that she had been let down so horribly, “Sorry isn’t going to fix it.”

“What will, then? Just… anything, whatever you need me to do. I’ll do it, because I can’t lose you. I love you, Adora.”

“Don’t! Don’t say that,” she breathed heavily to quell another spark of rage, “If you loved me, you wouldn’t have slept with Glimmer. If you loved me, you would have been faithful. If you loved me, you wouldn’t have gone out of your way to stop me finding out. And it’s not just me, if you loved Amber you wouldn’t have ruined her big day tomorrow!”

Catra took umbrage at the use of their daughter as ammunition, “That’s not fair! I love our child just as much as you do. How dare you use her against me like that!”

“Really, you love her? Then you must have seen how excited she is to be a bridesmaid at our wedding. Our wedding which YOU’VE RUINED! You seriously want to tell me you care about Amber when she’s sat crying her heart out, staining the dress we bought her with her tears because she can’t be a bridesmaid anymore?”

“YES!” she couldn’t help but shout, the intensity of Adora’s words had grown and riled her up as well, “She can still do everything she wants to do; she can have a perfect day. We can sort this out.”

Adora shook her head, “No we can’t. You have destroyed EVERYTHING!”

“Oh, come on, Adora! It was one stupid mistake; I don’t know how many times I need to tell you that before you get it into your head. You’re going on like I’ve been having an affair with her for months.”

“And have you?”

“Seriously?!” Catra scoffed, “Of course I haven’t! It was JUST. ONCE.”

“You still betrayed me and kept it from me! How many more times?” she yelled, “You keep secret after secret, Catra. How many more times do we have to go through this?!”

“Come on, that’s not fair, Adora! You _know_ why I didn’t tell you about Sammie.”

Adora clenched her fist, “Were you sleeping with her too then?”

“What the fuck are you accusing me of?!” Catra’s incredulous reaction only fuelled the argument, “She was _fifteen._ Did you seriously just ask me if I had sex with a fucking child?”

“Well did you?”

The brunette snarled a few deep breaths, “Jesus Christ, Adora… You really think that little of me? Well fuck you too!”

“Don’t turn this back on me!” she roared, jabbing her finger into Catra’s chest, “ _You_ slept with Glimmer. _You_ lied to my face for months. _You_ told her to keep quiet to protect yourself. How the hell am I supposed to trust you now?!”

“Trust me _now_?” Catra spluttered, “I don’t think you _ever_ trusted me, Adora! You didn’t even trust me enough to tell me you were going to _kill_ _yourself_!”

She regretted the words the moment they left her mouth. The moment she saw Adora gasp with shock. The moment her girlfriend’s eyes flared as she realised what Catra had just said. Her hand flew up to her mouth and she froze, her whole body shameful with the awareness that she had gone too far, “Adora, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…”

The other woman looked away, surveying the room as though searching for the correct reaction, an undertaking that yielded nothing. She spoke with an unnerving calmness, “I’m going back to my room now.”

“Adora, wait…”

She turned away towards the door, “Please leave me alone, Catra.”

Thoughts raced into Catra’s mind about what might happen with her alone in such distress, none of them particularly pleasant. Adora’s mental health, though improved from the night she tried to end her life, was still quite fragile and something like this could tip her over the edge again. She couldn’t let the girl be alone in this state, regardless of how angry they were with each other, and reached out to grab hold of her arm and prevent her from going.

“I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE!” she shook her girlfriend off, but Catra was insistent and tried to grasp her again. Something snapped inside Adora when she saw the brunette come towards her once more, and without thinking, she balled her hand into a fist and launched it up at the other girl. She gasped as she became aware of what she was doing and forced herself to stop, her fist inches from Catra’s face. For an uncomfortably long time, the only sound in the room was the two women breathing heavily to calm themselves down as it dawned on them both how close Adora had come to doing the unthinkable. Without saying another word, the blonde turned around and calmly let herself out, leaving Catra frozen in place, staring intently at the space where Adora had been.

* * *

“Bow, don’t go, I’m sorry!” Glimmer pleaded as her boyfriend angrily stuffed clothes back into his suitcase in front of her, “Please don’t leave me!”

He didn’t look up, continuing to pack as he spoke. His tone was firm, “I’m not leaving you Glimmer. I’m just really angry at the moment and I think we should spend the night apart. I’m going home so I can be alone and have time to think. You can stay here.”

“Please can we just talk about it?” she pulled his arm, trying to stop him, but he wrenched it away roughly, “Ow, Bow!”

“I’m sorry, Glimmer. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Bow zipped up the suitcase and made straight for the door, slamming it shut behind him without looking back at her. Though it hurt to leave Glimmer like that, desperately screaming his name, he told himself that spending the night apart would be best for them both. The rage that he’d felt had surprised him – even worried him – and being around his girlfriend only made that more intense. He’d go back to Bright Moon, have a good night’s sleep and be ready to talk things over peacefully in the morning.

Left by herself, Glimmer sat on the edge of the bed, tears streaming down her face as she confronted the realisation that she was alone. Properly alone. Adora wanted no more to do with her, Catra hated her, and Bow was gone. He said he’d be back the next day, but Glimmer had little faith in that happening – everyone eventually recognised what a horrible person she was and left her. She didn’t blame them, really. All her life she’d been inferior to everyone else – awful at making and keeping friends, ungrateful for what she had and woefully inadequate as a girlfriend. It was just a matter of time before the people around her realised it and moved on to better things. Stewing on those thoughts, she sat in a silence punctuated only by the sound of a sharp intake of breath every time the baby moved. Glimmer remained motionless for some time before a tempting thought came to her mind.

Bow may have abandoned her, but there was still something in the room that she knew wouldn’t. Her eyes were drawn towards the minibar that sat underneath the desk, and the neurons in her brain fired with the memories of how good the contents could make her feel. She knew she shouldn’t – there were so many reasons not to – but Glimmer only wanted the feeling of freedom that took her worries away from her and made her feel less alone. It was slow and a little painful as she dropped to her knees in front of the small refrigerator; the weight of a baby had been putting pressure on her joints for months now, and she wasn’t sure how easily she could get up again. She didn’t care.

A blast of cool air wrapped around her body when she opened the door, and her hand went straight for a mini bottle of red wine – it was the first thing she saw inside. Glimmer didn’t hesitate to unscrew the cap, breathing in the aroma of something she had denied herself for so long. The smell was just as good as it always used to be, kicking her reflexes into action. Seven long years, but her body still knew exactly what to do. She raised the bottle up to her lips.

“ARGHH!” a sharp pain in her abdomen shook her entire body. The bottle dropped from her hand, hitting the floor and spilling some of the contents out. She berated the child inside her, “Why did you have to do that? You’ve been kicking around all day and I just need a break without you judging me. Please…”

She cried out again as another shooting pain spread through her. It felt like her baby was punishing her for what she had been about to do – the twinges it was causing now were hurting a lot more than they had been. Glimmer pleaded with the child again, feeling only more discomfort, as though it had known exactly what it was doing. Why couldn’t it just-

She tensed up. Something felt wrong, and she had the terrifying sensation of knowing exactly what it was. Her hand started to move up the outside of her leg, its progress slow, as though if it didn’t confirm Glimmer’s suspicions, then everything was still fine. With her eyes closed, expecting the worst, she moved her hand between her legs. There was no mistaking the wetness that had soaked through her clothes. Her waters had broken and that meant the baby was coming.

“No, no… not now. This isn’t supposed to happen now,” she felt around for her phone, grabbing it towards her and scrolling through for her boyfriend’s number. It rang a few times then diverted to answerphone – a clear sign that he was rejecting her call. She tried again several times, her panic rising; each attempt being cut off more quickly than the last. With no Bow, she would have to get help herself. Growling with each pang from the baby, Glimmer crawled towards the bed, using it to help her stand.

“Aaaaagghhhh, _shit_ ,” the pain was already worse than she had ever imagined it would be, and the knowledge that it would only get worse spurred her forward. She struggled to make her way to the door, having to stop lean on the wall as each wave of agony hit her, but she eventually managed to reach the empty hotel corridor. Glimmer then faced an impossible decision.

Adora or Catra?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm guessing everyone was expecting the evening to go a little smoother than that.
> 
> Next time: Glimmer says 'fuck' a lot


	3. The Last Person I Want to See

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A desperate Glimmer goes to one of her friends for help

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My Leurprorelin-dervied writing superpowers have helped me zoom through the chapter! (Translation: I had an injection of the stuff yesterday and it has knocked me out to the point where sitting in front of my laptop is all I have energy to do). I've also finished the first chapter of a fic I may have mentioned before called Living With It, but I'm going to hold off on posting that for a bit because I want to do more of the following chapters.

Catra collapsed onto the bed in her hotel room, her mind racing. Adora had walked out after almost punching her; their wedding was completely up in the air; she’d probably ruined their relationship, and the friendship with Glimmer and Bow to boot. She didn’t even know if her fiancée was safe – the woman had severe depression and was recovering from a breakdown; the raw emotional shock had already driven her to do and say some drastic things. Would that have been the last time she saw Adora alive?

“Come on,” she whispered to herself, shaking the thoughts from her mind. Of course Adora would be fine… but what if she wasn’t? If she found the woman dead, then it would all be her fault. That one stupid night with Glimmer, a mistake she sorely regretted, would have caused Adora’s suicide and she’d have no-one to blame but herself. And then what would she do? How could she explain to Amber? Even if nothing happened, what would become of their relationship? Would Amber have to spend her life being bustled between two parents in two houses? How would that affect the girl – she’d probably hate it, and didn’t kids from broken homes do worse at school? What if they took her away and put her into foster care? It had almost ruined her own life; it would undoubtedly do the same to Amber.

The thoughts kept on building – Catra couldn’t be sure of anything that was happening in her life, and she had no idea what to do about it. As her mind continued its turmoil, she began noticing her legs shaking and her breathing become rapid. Her chest felt tight and she could feel her heart racing, thumping away inside her chest, which was a terrifying sensation. Was she going to have a heart attack? This didn’t feel normal. She was light-headed and distant too, like she was about to pass out, which only compounded her fear. Shutting her eyes, Catra tried to breathe deeply and evenly, but her agitated state made it a lot more difficult. Normally she would have reached for her medication, but having not had a panic attack for months, she stupidly assumed she’d have no need for it overnight. She was going to have to wait this one out alone, rapidly wracking her brain for some of the techniques that had been suggested to her. _Breathe in, 2, 3, 4. Breathe out, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Breathe in, 2, 3, 4. Breathe out…_

Pacing her breathing helped little, but it was enough to bring a small feeling of control back in. Continuing to inhale and exhale as evenly as she could, Catra placed her arms flat on the bed and tried to focus on feeling the mattress. These little techniques, ‘grounding’ they called it, had never really worked for her, but this was a pretty bad attack and she needed every bit of assistance she could get. She at least hoped that it would distract her brain long enough to let her body calm down, and after a couple of minutes of forcing herself to think only about her arms, Catra found her breathing slowing at last. The light-headedness dissipated, and she gradually started to feel like she was back in her body.

With the attack fading out, Catra began to feel somewhat more at peace, though every thought of her relationship being in tatters still ate away at her. She wanted to go across the hall and talk things through but giving Adora space was probably the better option. After all, their previous attempt to ‘talk’ didn’t go particularly well, ending with Adora almost punching her. But then again, maybe taking the initiative and going over to apologise would look better than staying away? It was in the middle of this internal debate that she was startled by a knock at the door. In a fit of confidence, she told herself it had to be Adora, realising that they could salvage things. Even though her certainty was borne more from hope than probability, Catra wasted no time in racing to the door, despite her feet still being rather shaky.

“Ado-” she sighed in frustration when she saw Glimmer instead of her fiancée, “Nope.”

She went to close the door, but Glimmer’s foot stopped her, “Catra, the baby’s coming.”

“What, now?”

“YES NOW!”

Catra rolled her eyes. This was the last thing she needed, “And you’re here _why_? What about Bow?”

“He went home!” she gasped for breath as another wave of pain hit her, “He’s not answering his phone. Please, Catra…”

“Fine. I’ll drive you to the hospital.”

Glimmer steadied herself against the wall, “It’s not going to… uggghhh… wait that long.”

“For God’s sake, Glimmer. I thought it wasn’t due for another few weeks?” Catra stood aside, allowing her to make her way into the room, then immediately fall to her knees at the side of the bed. If nothing else, this kid knew how to time an entrance.

“Yeah well, you wanna fucking tell it? Cause…. Oh my gooooddd… It doesn’t seem to… pay attention- FUCK! Help me onto the bed, Catra.”

Grumbling to herself, she helped Glimmer climb – or more accurately, slide and roll – onto the bed. Catra didn’t need this, not tonight. She was going to spend this time trying to save her relationship, to work out what to say to Adora and how to apologise properly for every mistake she’d made. If Adora knew she’d been with Glimmer, even in a situation like this, it would do little to help her cause. And, worse, if Adora were to walk in now, finding the two of them alone, with Glimmer laid on the bed moaning and breathing heavily as she was, she’d probably get entirely the wrong idea and walk straight back out. That would be the end of it for sure.

“Should I call for an ambulance or something?”

“What do you think?!” Glimmer scolded her, in too much discomfort to give a polite response to the inane question.

“Yes?” she looked expectantly at the other woman, who responded with an piercing expression of disbelief that prompted Catra to grab her phone and dial the emergency services. A short call later, and having told them where the two of them where and what was happening, Catra put the phone down and gave Glimmer a blank look, “So, they might be half an hour or so…”

“Can’t wait. You have to… Aaaagh… You need to go look and see what’s going on down there.”

The brunette recoiled slightly, “Glimmer, I’m like the _worst_ person to be looking at your… lady parts.”

“YOU’VE FUCKING SEEN IT ONCE BEFORE!” she snapped back, “And hey, maybe seeing a baby come out of it might put you off trying again.”

Conceding that the she had a good point, Catra shuffled along the bed to take up the position at the business end of things. Glimmer gestured for her to remove the clothes covering her lower half, which she did, trying to avert her gaze as much as possible.

“What’s it like down there?”

Her eyes barely open, Catra stole a side glance between Glimmer’s legs, “Honestly, it could do with a wax.”

“Not… ARGH… Not fucking funny. Look, this is _your_ fault, _you_ sort it.”

“How is this my fault?! Just squeeze it out or whatever, you took classes for this, didn’t you?”

“WELL I DON’T FUCKING REMEMBER ANY OF THEM!” Glimmer thumped her fist onto the bed, “Help me!”

Catra squinted at her with incredulity, “Help you _how?_ I’m not shitting out a baby for you.”

“I’m honestly not sure if… holy crap… if you’re being a dick or you really don’t get how babies work.”

“Why not both?” she smirked. If she had to spend time with the person whose inability to keep a secret had pretty much ruined her life, she was damn well going to make sure she had a little fun, “I’m a dick who didn’t pay attention in sex ed classes. Too busy looking at boobs in the textbook and stuff. You know how it is.”

“I’m gonna need you to shut your face, Catra. OH FUCKING MOTHERBASTARDING HELL!! Oh my God… I am going to murder Bow. Where the HELL IS HE?”

“Yeah, I might kill him too,” Catra mumbled, then held up her phone, “Do you want me to call him?”

Glimmer’s response was half a spoken ‘yes’ and half a scream of agony. Catra scrolled through her contacts to find Bow’s number and tapped the screen to make the call, putting the phone up to her ear, but taking it down seconds later. She tried again, hoping the rapid end to the previous attempt was down to bad signal or something, but once more she found herself listening to an answerphone message.

“Well, it’s straight to voicemail, so I’m guessing I’m not his favourite person right now. Looks like it’s just us… are you ready?”

“I… GAAAHHHH,” she cried out in pain, “No, I’m not ready – I changed my mind. I don’t want a baby now. Please!”

“Little bit late for that,” Catra stuck her tongue out playfully, a gesture which went completely unnoticed by a severely distracted Glimmer, “Don’t you need to push or something?”

“I AM FUCKING PUSHING!”

Catra gave a dramatic sigh, “Well if you don’t want my help, I’ll go, shall I?”

“Don’t you…. OH, SHITBALLS ON A STICK… Don’t you go anywhere, Catra. Don’t leave me.”

Her final sentence had a genuine emotion behind it that made Catra stop. As she looked over at Glimmer, all drenched in sweat and eyes scrunched shut with pain, she no longer saw the person who ruined her wedding. This Glimmer was a scared young woman about to go through one of the most painful experiences of her life, someone who needed the comfort of a friend. Everything that had happened, she was sure she could put it behind her for the next couple of hours. Glimmer needed her.

“I’m not going anywhere. I got you Glim,” she held onto the girl’s hand, a decision she began to regret when another wave of pain caused Glimmer to squeeze so hard that Catra was fairly certain she’d broken a couple of fingers.

Another agonised roar escaped her mouth, “Catra, make it stop. For the love of Christ, make it stop.”

“Yeah, I can’t do that,” she had no idea how to comfort someone in the middle of childbirth, but the two gentle pats on the shoulder she gave Glimmer mystified even her, “You’re having a baby, Glim!”

“Am I? Because I…. AAARGHH…. I didn’t FUCKING NOTICE, CATRA! I…” the pain increased to the point where she was unable to even speak, only emit a deep grunt from the effort that she was having to put in. There wasn’t even a choice to push or not push any more, her body was making the decision for her – not that it made it any less agonising. She closed her eyes and put all her concentration into squeezing her muscles, almost stopping in surprise when she felt the baby start to move even further downward. It was the most bizarre sensation she’d ever had, and she became ever more terrified that her body wouldn’t be able to cope with the process – if she’d been told that her entire lower half was now just a gaping void the size of a star, she wouldn’t have been surprised.

Having finally thrown off the embarrassment, Catra had taken up position between her legs and was overseeing progress, “Keep pushing, Glimmer! I think… I think I can see the head? God, I hope that’s the head because nothing that looks like that should be inside a person.”

Her words went unheard, Glimmer being overwhelmed by the pain and the urge to push harder than ever before. A guttural scream came from her mouth as she forced her body beyond the limits she believed it had, straining every muscle in an almost involuntary effort to expel the baby. The lights of the room above her blurred with the tears of effort that swamped her eyes, and the sound of her shrieks of agony seemed to become detached from her own consciousness. Despite the chaos that was unfolding, Glimmer felt a strange kind of peace – even the pain appeared to be dwindling. The urge to close her eyes overwhelmed her, and she sank backwards into the bed as her consciousness faded.

Glimmer found herself in a darkened space, a pitch black surrounding her with no reference for the floors or walls. She looked around herself, but there was nothing – no room, no clear path forward, nothing. All she could hear was the faint sound of a baby crying. She looked down at her body, gasping when she saw herself looking much slimmer than she had been for the last few months. A panic grew in her as she realised she had no idea where her baby was; she could hear it, it wailed ever more loudly, but she could see nothing. Calling out for her child, Glimmer was overwhelmed by a blinding light.

“AGH!” she jerked upright, finding herself back in Catra’s hotel room drenched in sweat and rapidly gasping for breath. She could still hear the crying – did that mean…?

“Oh thank God,” Catra’s relief was palpable, “Thought we’d lost you for a moment, Glim. You did it!”

Her mind still muddled from exhaustion and a variety of pain signals from throughout her body, it took a while for Glimmer to understand what was happening, “I did what?”

The brunette raised up what appeared to be one of her jumpers stuffed into her arms. A jumper that was screaming. Catra gave her a congratulatory smile as she passed the bundle to her, “It’s a boy, Glimmer! You’ve got a son!”

“I have a…? Oh my God, I have a son!”

“That’s what I said.”

“Hello, I’m your mummy,” she was incredibly tired, but the buzz of finally being able to see her baby kept her going, no matter how delirious she sounded, “What’s your name? Uh, God I don’t know what I’m even saying now.”

She stared into the eyes of the child, instantly feeling a connection so strong it overwhelmed her. He looked perfect – the tiny little face, the arms attempting to escape from the clothing he’d been swaddled in, everything was better than she could ever have hoped. Even as Catra let the paramedics into the room, Glimmer’s attention wasn’t taken away for one moment, nor was she any less rapt as they helped her out of the room to take her to be checked over at the hospital. The world could have been ending around her, and all she would have been thinking about is how beautiful her child was. This was a euphoria like nothing she had ever experienced.

“Should I come too?” Catra asked, the excitement of the birth fading out in favour of the memory of her argument with Adora. Having helped deliver the baby, though, she felt some responsibility to continue offering her assistance.

“Please,” Glimmer panted, “And Catra? Thank you. I’m sorry about everything, I should never have told Bow about us and… I’m just sorry.”

“Don’t. Don’t worry about that right now – just concentrate on you and… you got a name yet?”

The new mother smiled back at her, “Yeah. Yeah I have.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...aaaaand you're not going to find out what it is just yet.
> 
> Next time: Adora has a fun night. Kind of.


	4. Huntara

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Intent on revenge, Adora heads into town to give Catra a taste of her own medicine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which writing a sexual scene in my other fic seems to have bled over into this one. Don't worry, it's not anywhere near as explicit here.

The door to Catra’s hotel room shut behind her, and almost certainly left behind inside were the last remaining shreds of their relationship. Grasping the handle of the door to her own room, Adora paused, her body still aflame from the argument with Catra. Her so-called girlfriend who had betrayed her by sleeping with her so-called best friend. Just the thought of the two of them together made her furious, and the fact that they had both lied to her for the best part of a year was disgusting. She knew that she had not behaved as well as she could have done, and regretted the way she had let anger get the better of her in Catra’s room, but what other possible reaction could she have had? Though maybe getting angry wasn’t the most effective thing here. Maybe Catra didn’t fully understand how hurt she’d felt. Maybe she should. Spending the evening in her room, crying into the bed would do nothing to make her feel better – but spending the night getting even definitely would.

Adora grabbed her bag from her room and went straight back out, sailing past the reception desk and making her way to the car. They’d only taken the one vehicle between them for the wedding weekend, so if Catra needed it… Fuck Catra. She didn’t matter anymore. She’d lost the right to have any say over what Adora did the moment she slept with Glimmer. Getting into the car and racing the engine, she sped off through the car park and made straight for town. There was a club she often used to go to, which didn’t have the greatest reputation, but she knew she could find someone there who would be willing to go with her. That would show Catra.

When she arrived, the club was packed and noisy, making her slightly nervous, but the number of people around meant that at least someone here would be interested. She was a pretty, fit young woman and she could have almost anyone she wanted – but first she needed a little extra courage. Taking a seat at the bar, Adora ordered the strongest, largest drink she could think of and downed it rapidly. It took a while for the alcohol to take effect, but she could feel her confidence building, and she kept scanning the room, scouting out potential partners. Once she had a few more drinks inside her, she felt able to take on the world. Adora made her move, her eyes set on a buff older woman sat alone at the opposite end of the bar who she’d clocked the moment she sat down.

Adora sauntered over, giggling as she hopped up onto the stool next to the muscular woman, “Hey, you! Do you work out?”

“What do you want?” the woman replied, scowling at the interruption.

“You.”

She looked the young woman up and down, not averse to the pretty face and the toned body that she was certain hid underneath those clothes. And she was practically throwing herself at her – it would definitely be a lot less effort than some of the other people she’d gone home with before, “Hm, okay, blondie. Buy me a drink and we’ll see what happens.”

“One more of whatever she’s having,” Adora got the bartender’s attention to put in her order, then twisted around in her seat to face the other woman – the person she would get back at Catra with, “My name’s Adora, in case you wanna scream it later.”

“Huntara.”

Though it may have been the alcohol lying to her, she felt there was already a connection – a calming peace that dissolved through her body as she let her mind run rampant with the thoughts of how good it would be to get back at Catra. This Huntara was the perfect woman for her, “Huntara, eh? What do you say we head back to yours?”

The woman gave a hearty laugh, “God, you’re eager, I’ll give you that! I like that in a woman.”

“You know what I like in a woman?” Adora smirked, then held up two fingers in front of her face, sticking her tongue out to reinforce the salaciousness of her comment.

Huntara rolled her eyes, “You really _do_ need to get laid.”

“Too fucking right I do. Wanna help me out?” the blonde raised an eyebrow. She knew she was coming on strong, and she didn’t care one bit.

“At least let me finish my drink.”

Adora reached across to grab the glass, downing it in one go, “It’s finished. You wanna fuck or not?”

“You’ve convinced me. I’ll get my coat.”

* * *

“Alright, let’s see what you got, Adora,” Huntara knelt on her bed, having barely been able to keep the younger woman’s hands off her during the short walk back to her home. She watched expectantly as Adora removed her top, revealing a slim, muscular frame that ticked all her boxes. Wanting to make the most of her experience, to really hurt Catra, Adora made a show of herself, sensually running her hands up her legs and around her back to unlatch her bra. The garment fell to the floor, leaving Adora fully exposed in front of Huntara.

“Like what you see?” Adora gestured at herself, the self-confidence she felt taking her over. She hadn’t felt this desirable in years; Catra certainly didn’t look at her with the same wonder that this woman did, not in any of the rare occasions they’d had sex recently. She’d told herself that it didn’t bother her, that it didn’t matter how often they did it, but maybe she was just lying to herself. Catra didn't hold a candle to the huge, muscular body that was soon to be hers. Straddling the larger woman, Adora slid her hands over Huntara’s body from shoulders down as low as she dared go, following it up with a lustful kiss. Her forwardness was reciprocated as she felt one hand caress her breast, the other exploring further down and finding its way inside her underwear.

_If Catra can do it, why shouldn’t I?_ This was revenge. She couldn’t wait to tell Catra what she had done and watch the despair fill the girl’s eyes. The way her shoulders would fall as she realised that she wasn’t as special as she thought, just like her girlfriend had done to her a couple of hours before. It was such a satisfying image, yet a horrible one too. She hated the guilt that she was beginning to feel and tried to reason with herself. Catra hurt her, she had to focus on that as a reminder why she was about to have sex with this stranger. But… could she really hurt Catra back so easily?

“Ugh, I’m sorry, I can’t,” she slid back off Huntara’s legs, moving to the other side of the room, where she sat on a chair and stared at the floor.

“Hey, what’s wrong? You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

Adora sighed, “I’m supposed to be getting married tomorrow.”

The muscular woman adjusted her position, sitting forward on the edge of the bed, then passed the girl’s top back to her, “You should probably put that back on. Married, eh? So you thought you’d use your final night of freedom to have sex with a stranger? Can’t say it’s a wedding tradition I’ve heard of before, but I’m not one to judge.”

“Yeah well… I just found out my fiancée cheated on me with my best friend.”

“Oh. Ohhhhh. Shit. Tell you what, you go sit in the living room, I’ll make some coffee and you can tell me all about it.”

“Really?” Adora sniffed, “I mean, I gave you the impression we were going to have sex and then I just changed my mind at the last moment. Thought you’d at least kick me out or something.”

Huntara gave a chuckle, “Course not. You look like you could do with a friend – one who’s not going to try and get off with your fiancée, that is.”

Adora wasn’t quite able to appreciate the humour, but she was just thankful that the woman had been so understanding; the thoughts of what could have happened with a less compassionate person were terrifying. She quickly dressed herself while she could hear Huntara filling the kettle, then emerged warily from the bedroom, quietly sitting on the sofa as instructed. After a few moments, Huntara came out from the kitchen holding two mugs, which she set down on the coffee table, then turned towards Adora, “So, you wanna talk about it?”

“Everything is so fucked up,” the blonde propped herself up on the arm of the sofa, “I don’t know what to do any more. Catra, that’s my fiancée, she runs this charity thing in town with Glimmer, my best friend, and the night it opened, someone broke in. So they both went off in the pouring rain, middle of the night, to go and sort it out. I don’t know what happened from there, but they ended up having sex. ‘Scared’ apparently, if that makes any sense – how do you go from being scared to being horny?”

“I hear ya. I guess they didn’t say anything about it?”

Adora shook her head, “Not at all. They kept it a secret for almost a year, and I only found out this evening. I’m here like… she’s been lying to my face all this time. Why would she _do_ something like that?”

“So you hate her now?”

“Yes… No… I don’t know, I honestly don’t. I love her, I really do – she’s been my guardian angel this year, she’s so good with our daughter and being around her makes me so happy. Or at least it used to. Apparently now, if I spend much time around her I want to punch her in the face. Almost did earlier.”

“Crap,” she wasn’t entirely sure of the best way to respond to the admission, “Don’t go punching your girlfriend.”

“I know, it was… yeah, I shouldn’t have. And I swear I won’t do anything like that again. I just want things to go back to how they were. All of us happy, not being torn apart by secrets."

Huntara took a large gulp of coffee, then shuffled closer to her, “Look, Blondie. I don’t know much about relationships – had a few, no-one I really wanted to settle down with, but you really don’t seem like you want to give it up. I mean, would you be happy to leave her and never see her again?”

“I don’t know,” Adora paused to mull over the question. The betrayal she felt now was just as strong as the moment she’d found out the truth; it felt like her stomach had been ripped out every single time she thought of Catra and Glimmer together. She couldn’t imagine her life without Catra, and yet she couldn’t imagine a life where every time she looked at her girlfriend all she saw in her was how hurt she felt, “I don’t think I’d cope with never seeing her again.”

“There’s your answer. Forgive her.”

“It’s not that simple. I can’t just say ‘Well, you fucked Glimmer but it’s okay, I’ll let you off’.”

The older woman shook her head, a hint of frustration in her voice, “I’m not saying that. I don’t give a shit about Catra or her feelings. I mean, I’ll probably never see you again so I shouldn’t give a shit about yours either, but _you_ need to. Don’t forgive her as a favour to _her,_ forgive her as a favour to yourself. It’s gonna eat you up if you let it, but if you’re at peace with it then…”

“I’m not at peace with it though,” Adora threw her hands up with her irritation, “It fucking hurts! Every time I think about her, it’s painful. How am I supposed to be at peace? TELL ME!”

Her yelling surprised them both, and Adora’s mumbled apology made it clear she regretted the anger that she unleashed. The damage that had been inflicted on her by Catra’s betrayal was still making itself known, and it currently manifested in the desire to lash out. The fury inside was desperate to escape, and her control over it was not perfect.

“I don’t know how. But you’re a mess right now, you can’t keep going like that.”

Adora fell back against the cushion, “I know… I just…”

“It’s pretty clear to me that you feel a lot for this Catra girl, and I don’t think you really wanted to do this, did you? You got it into your head that finding someone for casual sex would make everything better, but it won’t. Go talk to her, Adora. I can tell you don’t want to lose her, so don’t let your desire for revenge destroy your chance to salvage your relationship. Do you get what I’m saying? Adora?” she craned her neck around to see why there was no response, finding Adora’s eyes shut with the girl fast asleep, still sat upright on the sofa.

Huntara sighed, “Night then. I’ll go find you a blanket.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lecherous Adora was fun to write!
> 
> Next time: Nobody knows what the hell is going on


	5. Is It Over? (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wedding has descended into chaos and disarray - can Catra and Adora sort it out, or is it over for good?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was all supposed to be one chapter, but ended up being super long. Now I have no issue with long chapters, but I wanted to keep them all roughly the same length so I've split it into two (the second part should be along tomorrow).

“Your mummy is going to be so proud when she sees you in your wedding outfit!” Mara squeezed Amber’s hand as she led the girl through the hotel reception. The youngster sported an elaborate ball gown-style dress, white with gold accents – She-Ra colours, of course – that she was showing off to every person they passed by. Excited didn’t even begin to cover the pride and euphoria she felt to be such an important part of her parents’ wedding. She had herself well-prepared, right down to the exact manner in which she would walk down the aisle and the type of smile she would give to the assembled guests along the way.

“She says I look like a princess!”

“You do!” Mara nodded, heading down the corridor and checking the message on her phone Adora had sent her the day before with their room numbers, “Ooh, we’re here. Do princesses knock on the door, or do they have servants to do it for them?”

Amber giggled, “They don’t have servants, they have ladies in waiters to knock on doors.”

Her aunt couldn’t help but laugh at the phrase – it was close, but not quite what she meant to say. She rapped a few times on the door, waiting for an answer. With no response, not even a sound from inside, she tried again, once more being met with silence.

“Maybe she’s still in bed, or having a shower,” Mara suggested, “Let’s try Catra.”

“Yeah, Mummy Adora does like to sleep a lot.”

It was the same story on the other side of the hallway. No matter how many times each of them knocked or called out, there was no response of any kind. Amber gave her aunt a confused look, “Where did they go?”

“I’m… I’m not sure, darling,” becoming a little concerned, she walked her niece back into the reception area and sat her down on a sofa to wait while she asked at the desk. The receptionist tried calling into each of the rooms, which yielded exactly the same results: no answer from either of them. Now seriously worried for her sister, Mara pulled her phone out to see if she could get in contact that way. It rang several times, and she was about to hang up, but just as she pulled the phone from her ear, Mara heard her sister’s voice.

* * *

The sound of buzzing underneath her stole Adora from her slumber. Even before her mind became conscious enough to realise that her phone was ringing, she was aware of an intense pressure in her head that made her groan. She was too old to be drinking that much. It was a gargantuan effort to even open her eyes, but when she did, the unfamiliar room that slowly came into focus was a shock to her. Where was she?

The vibration from her pocket persisted, and on muscle memory alone, Adora managed to pull it out and answer it. She held it up to her ear, “Yeah?”

_“Adora? Where are you?”_

“Mara? What…?”

Her sister’s voice grew impatient, _“I’m stood in the hotel reception and no-one can get hold of you or Catra. What the hell is going on?”_

That was a pertinent question, and one that Adora wanted to know the answer to as well. She had no idea what had become of her relationship overnight – she didn’t even know where she was right now. The line went quiet for quite some time as Adora tried to recall what happened.

“We had a fight. I went out to a club and… oh god, I think I went home with some random woman.”

_“What the fu-”_ Mara only just remembered in time that Amber was sat a short distance away, “ _-nhouse are you saying, Adora?”_

“Catra had an affair with Glimmer. Everything is fucked to hell.”

_“Well sort it out, you’re getting married today. Get down here, have a shower and get your shit together! That’s a naughty word, Amber, I’m sorry, don’t ever say that. Adora – MOVE YOURSELF!”_

Adora was left listening to silence as Mara abruptly hung up. She became aware of some movement in the kitchen nearby and glanced up to see the woman she vaguely remembered going home with making a coffee. The other woman spotted her as Adora sat upright, her body aching from the night of drinking and the awkward position she’d slept in.

“Morning, sleeping beauty. Need some caffeine?” Huntara leant against the door frame, awake and cheerful, in stark contrast to the girl laying across her couch, “You look like shit.”

“Thanks,” it was probably true, but she still thought it a bit rude. This was definitely not the wedding day she had dreamt of, waking up on a stranger’s sofa wishing that she could disappear into the ether. She should be in her hotel room, chatting to Glimmer as she put her make up on, not a hungover mess sprawled across some random person’s couch.

The larger woman set a mug of hot coffee down in front of her, “Get this down you then you can go get married.”

“Not happening. I’m just gonna stay here so I don’t have to deal with any of it.”

“OK, first of all, you’re making the place look untidy so no, you’re not staying here. I’m kicking you out once you’ve drunk that. Secondly, the situation ain’t gonna get any better if you’re hiding away and not facing it. Come on, A... I want to say ‘Adema’?”

“Adora.”

“Adora,” Huntara corrected herself, “You can’t run from the shit you’ve got yourself into, and you can’t ignore it. The only thing you can do is work hard at fixing it. Fight, Adora! Think about what you want and make it happen. I mean, you got me to take you home last night and I’m kinda picky about my women, so unfucking your relationship should be easy in comparison.”

The blonde sighed and fell back down across the sofa, “I don’t think it will be.”

* * *

The anger of the day before had dissipated from Bow’s body. He was calm, thinking much more clearly and held no more of the tension in his shoulders that had stopped him from getting to sleep for hours during the night. As he walked in through the hotel entrance, his mind full of the things he needed to say to Glimmer, he was even feeling optimistic that the two of them would resolve their dispute without any problem.

“Uncle Bow!” Amber ran over to give the man a hug the moment she saw him. It still felt a little awkward given the hatred he now had for her mother, but he distractedly put an arm around the girl and told her she looked nice.

“If I give you my phone to play with, could you sit down nicely for five minutes?” Mara pulled the youngster away, “I just need a private chat with Bow.”

Amber’s eyes lit up. Her aunt’s phone had her favourite game of all time, and she was always trying – usually unsuccessfully – to get hold of it to play. It was a guaranteed way for them to get a little privacy, “Okay! I’m gonna beat my high score!”

With the child’s attention away from them, the two adults moved to a quiet corner of the reception area, where Mara began the conversation quietly, “I just spoke to Adora – what is going on, Bow?”

“I take it you’ve heard then.”

“What I’ve heard is that apparently Catra and Glimmer had an affair, now Adora’s in some stranger’s house and Catra is missing completely. What the fuck is happening at this wedding?”

Bow’s eyes narrowed, “Wait. Catra’s missing?”

“Well she’s not answering her door. So either she’s not in there, or…”

“Or she’s off her face on drugs and lying in her own-” he stopped himself, realising that he may have gone too far, “I’m sorry, that was unfair of me. Look, I’m going in to talk to Glimmer so maybe she’ll know.”

Mara sighed lightly. She knew it was unlikely, and maybe even better if Glimmer _didn’t_ know Catra’s whereabouts, but it was at least worth a shot, “Let me know if you find anything out.”

The young man nodded and made his way to the corridor, the worry of Catra going missing now piled on top of everything else. He told himself that he didn’t care what happened to her, and to some extent that was true, but part of him, no matter how much he hated it, became filled with concern when Mara told him she wasn’t answering. When he reached their room, Bow took a deep breath and placed his key card in the lock. He pushed the door open, preparing to apologise for the previous evening but the only sound from his mouth was a sharp gasp when he found himself met with an empty, rather gloomily lit room. He knocked on the door to the bathroom, hoping that his girlfriend was in there instead, but there was no answer and he couldn’t hear running water or any other sign of someone using it. Stepping into the main part of the room gave him the most worrying clue as to Glimmer’s whereabouts: a small bottle of wine was laid, open, on the floor, with some of the contents spilled out.

Bow picked up the bottle, inspecting it in the light that filtered through a gap in the curtains, “Oh Glimmer, no… Please, no...”

He feared the worst. She was eight months pregnant, now was a dangerous time for her to relapse. The effect on the baby could be catastrophic, and much as it agonised him to have the thought, could even be fatal. He desperately reached for his phone and dialled his girlfriend’s number. It rang a few times before being answered – but it wasn’t the person he expected.

_“Hello?”_ a weary-voiced Catra spoke quietly, having been woken from a deep sleep by the call.

“Wow.”

_“Bow?”_

The anger began to come to the surface once more, “You don’t waste much time, do you? What, were you waiting for me to leave so you could pounce and have Glimmer to yourself? For Christ’s sake, Catra, you are the lowest of the low, you-”

_“Bow, Bow, Bow. Shut up.”_

“ _Excuse_ me? Just… just put Glimmer on.”

_“She’s asleep.”_

“How do you know that? Tell me you aren’t in bed with her… No, you know what, I don’t care. Just wake her up!”

_“I’m not going to do that, they’ve only just dropped off.”_

He began to grow more frustrated at Catra’s elusive and seemingly cryptic words, “What do you mean, ‘they’?”

_“Glimmer and your son. She had the baby in my room last night; we’re at the hospital right now.”_

“My... My son?” there was a silence as Bow processed the news, “Okay, I’ll be right there.”

He tore out of the room, all worries about Glimmer now vanished with the news of the birth, and raced through the reception area, barely able to explain the situation to Mara with the few spluttered words that came out. His haste only increased the closer he knew he was to seeing his child and nearly knocked Mermista flying as he left and she arrived. The young woman, along with Seahawk and Finn in tow, made their way towards Adora’s sister.

“Let me guess, he forgot something at the last minute? Ugh, this is why I hate weddings.”

Mara was still a little stunned from the whirlwind that was Bow, “It’s not... It’s all gone a bit wrong.”

“I’m listening...” she perched on the arm of the sofa next to her, eager to find out more. Mermista took a weird sort of delight in seeing the behind-the-scenes drama, especially when it wasn’t her responsibility to sort out.

“Glimmer has apparently just had the baby. Catra and Adora had a fight last night, now Adora’s at some stranger’s house God knows where and Catra has completely vanished. Amber and I are just sat here because we have no idea what’s going on and the wedding is supposed to start in an hour!”

Mermista spent a few moments in silence, reflecting upon what she’d heard, then lit up in a smile, “Wow... so I normally find weddings suuuuper boring, but this is kind of awesome. Seahawk, I _told_ you to bring popcorn!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mermista's just here for the drama!
> 
> Next time: Fun times at the hospital, and couples talking through their problems like actual adults. Also I promise I'll reveal the baby's name.


	6. Is it Over? (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wedding day fall out continues, and Bow's heart is captured by a new arrival.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here's part 2!

Barely remembering to lock the car, Bow sprinted across the car park and in through the hospital entrance. Even moving at the speed of light would not have been quick enough for him, the reward of being able to finally see his own child was a greater draw than anything he’d ever known. The corridors were thankfully quite empty, so his progress wasn’t hampered by having to dodge through slow-moving people, and he found his way quickly to where he was going. Upon arrival at the maternity ward, dripping with sweat and out of breath, he asked a bemused nurse where his girlfriend was, nervously approaching the room she pointed out. It was time. Bow pushed open the door to the ward, scanning the beds for the one upon which his girlfriend was sat.

“Bow!” Glimmer’s smile was the width of her face. She was filled with joy at the prospect of introducing her boyfriend to his son, and he couldn’t wait either. Approaching the bed, however, it soon became evident that she was not alone. Catra was sat in a chair beside her, staring out of the window and seemingly afraid to even look at him.

“Get out,” he ordered quietly. She may have helped with the birth, but Bow had no positive feelings for her whatsoever. Catra was, despite anything she may have done for his girlfriend, still the one who had sex with her behind his back. She was still the one who told Glimmer not to lie to protect her own interests. He couldn’t even bear to be in the same room as the woman who almost tore his relationship apart.

“Let her stay, please. I couldn’t have done this without her.”

He shook his head, “No. Get out.”

Catra wasn’t surprised by his reaction. Nor was she going to try and fight back; she understood exactly why he didn’t want her around. There were no words of protest from her, she simply rose from the chair and walked away without once looking back at them, leaving the new family to be together at last. Bow took up the seat she had been sat in, and shuffled it closer to the bed, a tsunami of joy washing over him as his eyes fell upon the small bundle Glimmer held.

“I… I have a son…” those were the only words that his brain could think of. Bow was entranced by the experience of finally being here, looking upon his own baby. It was no longer something that was going to happen, something to wait for; it was the reality, it was happening now.

“You certainly do, Papa Bow,” cradling the sleeping child in her arms, she shuffled herself up so the father could get a better look, “Um... So know we had our shortlist of names, but I may have gone for something a little different…”

“Why… what have you done?”

“When I looked at him, I started thinking about how we’re now a proper little family and, well, it made me start thinking about my mum and dad. I miss them so much, Bow.”

He stroked her shoulder gently, “I know, Glim.”

“So that got me thinking. I want to call him Micah, after my dad. If that’s okay with you?”

“It’s more than okay,” he only had a vague memory of Glimmer’s father – the older Micah had died when Glimmer was twelve, and Bow only recalled one visit to Bright Moon where he was around. But he was struck by how amiable her dad was, and the stories she had told him only backed that up. It seemed as though the world loved the original Lord Bright Moon, and Bow could only hope that his namesake would be half as great. Leaning forward, he kissed Glimmer’s forehead, then did the same to the baby, “Hello, baby Micah. I’m your daddy.”

“Take him,” she offered, “Have your first dad cuddle.”

Bow’s smile masked the sheer terror he felt inside. Babies were so fragile – what if he dropped it? Or didn’t support the right part of the body and caused an injury? And they wriggle so much, the kid might fall out of his arms. Despite this backdrop of self-doubt, he nervously extended his arms towards Glimmer, who placed Micah on them. A little shifting of weight until the baby felt secure, then Bow brought the newborn close into his chest, his eyes wide with wonder.

“He’s beautiful,” he whispered, in awe of the child he held, “Glimmer, he’s so perfect.”

“Better be, I spent ages making him.”

The joke sailed over her boyfriend’s head; he was too wrapped-up with admiring his son to take in her words. It was pure and instant love. Unfortunately, the father-son bonding was soon interrupted when Micah awoke, immediately launching into the desperate wail of a baby who needed its mother. With little idea of what else to do, Bow handed him back to Glimmer, who cradled him close for feeding.

His son placated, Bow carefully addressed the first of many elephants in the room, “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you last night.”

“It’s fine, you weren’t to know he was going to pop out early. And Catra was amazing.”

The mention of her name felt like a gut punch for Bow. Thinking about Catra’s betrayal angered him, and he didn’t want to let those negative feelings detract from the elation of becoming a father, “I’m glad she helped, but we need to get away from those two.”

“What?” Glimmer winced, still being a novice at breastfeeding was an unexpectedly painful experience, “Me and Catra aren’t going to do it again.”

He sighed, “It’s not just the affair. I know they’ve been our friends for a long time, but they’ve been a bad influence on us. I know she wasn’t to know, but look at how Adora encouraged you when you were drinking, or how Catra kept the number of that drug dealer on her phone.”

“Those were down to me, you can’t blame them for that. They didn’t _force_ me to drink or buy drugs.”

“I know that, Glim. But what about the night Adora got kidnapped and turned up at my place covered in blood? That’s not the sort of environment to raise a kid in. I don’t trust them anymore, and I don’t want that around Micah, especially not with Catra’s past. It never truly goes away," Bow took a breath to gather the nerve to broach his next topic, "And look at what happened last night, with the stress they caused you. I saw the bottle of wine in our hotel room, Glimmer. Please tell me you didn’t...”

Glimmer glanced down at her son, “He’s feeding really well. Going to be a big strong lad, I bet.”

“Glim…”

“I’m a bit thirsty, can you go get me a coffee or something? I think there’s a machine down the hallway.”

Bow could tell she was trying to deflect his questions, “Glimmer, please. We need to talk about the alcohol.”

“Didn’t have any, I’m fine,” she breezed off the question, but felt annoyed at having to answer it, “Now would you please get me something to drink?”

He nodded, hoping that she wasn’t lying to him. Glimmer had worked hard for so many years to keep herself well and now, with a newborn baby to look after, she needed to stick to that more than ever. It was a hard decision to trust what she said, especially given that her honesty had been lacking over the past few months, but Bow took the leap. If she said she hadn’t been drinking, then she hadn’t. Even so, he resolved to keep a closer eye on her, just in case. Nothing like that would come between his new family any more.

* * *

Adora spotted Catra sat on a chair the moment she walked through the main entrance to the hospital. When Mara had told her about Glimmer’s new arrival, she had run right back out of the hotel, leaving the various guests in limbo over the wedding and her sister trying to organise the chaos that it had descended into. She’d wanted to go and visit the baby, but the moment she saw Catra, she knew that talking to her girlfriend was more important. There was no greeting between the two when Adora sat next to her, just a silence filled with the unspoken hurt that separated them.

“She had a boy,” Catra said flatly, still staring at the wall opposite her. She had read the posters so many times while she’d been sat there, the words seemed meaningless at this point.

“Oh.”

More silence.

Adora took in a sharp breath, “We’ve got to talk, haven’t we?”

“Yeah. Properly talk, though; not like before.”

“I’m sorry about last night, Catra.”

The brunette cleared her throat, “You don’t need to be. If anyone should be sorry, it’s me. I was the one who slept with Glimmer and… well, I guess I didn’t tell you because I was terrified of losing you. You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me, Adora, and I can’t imagine my life without you.”

“Likewise. But you really, _really_ hurt me and I... I’ve lost my trust in you.”

“I know…” she gazed down at the tiling on the floor, “Will I ever be able to get it back?”

“I’m not sure. I need to be certain that you can be honest with me, and right now I can’t be. All these years I have trusted that you always told me the truth, and I feel as though I’ve been wrong that whole time. But I need to be honest with you about something too. Last night, I was really angry at you and I went into town to find someone to sleep with and get some revenge.”

Catra pushed her hair away from her eyes. Adora’s revelation was a surprise, but not entirely unexpected, and she couldn’t blame the girl for wanting to get her own back like that. She asked the one question on her mind, scared for the answer she would receive, “And did you?”

“Yeah,” Adora looked across at her girlfriend and saw exactly the reaction she was expecting. The same look she had been craving the whole night, the one that was supposed to feel like justice. But it didn’t. There was no feeling of vindication or victory, just a deep empathy and regret at the sadness Catra was feeling, “We didn’t do it, but we came close. I kissed her, I stripped for her… but I couldn’t go any further. And even telling you about this now, I’m on the verge of tears because I don’t want you to feel like this. I – ahh, God… I still love you, Catra, despite all of this.”

“I love you too.”

“It hurts, doesn’t it? Making mistakes, I mean. I feel like I’ve let you down, and that is so much more painful than anything you’ve done. I don’t even understand why, you slept with Glimmer and kept it from me for a year, but I feel worse about kissing some random woman while drunk… how does that make sense?”

Catra tentatively placed a hand on Adora’s knee, only relaxing when her gesture wasn’t rebuffed, “It doesn’t. Love never does. But that’s how I feel too, letting you down like I did has just eaten away at me for so long. I’m so sorry for everything, you know that, right? Glimmer was a mistake, I fucked up big time that night, and lying to you was the most stupid thing I’ve ever done. I just want us to be back to normal, but… I don’t know if you’ll let that happen.”

“I want to try,” she reciprocated Catra’s contact, twisting her body around to face her. Their gazes caught each other, and they could both see the tears forming in the eyes of the other. The connection of their touch brought a sensation of closeness back, as they both became acutely aware of how no other person on the planet was able to evoke the feelings that they could in each other. Adora was the first to give in, moving her hand up around Catra’s back and pulling her closer, their lips meeting in an emotional kiss of unity.

“So where do we go from here?” Adora whispered, their noses still pressed together and the gentle touch of her girlfriend’s hand on her cheek.

“I don’t know,” Catra sniffled, a weak laugh escaping her mouth, “I think we missed our wedding though.”

The mention of the wedding disrupted the mood between them, Adora pulling away from her and closing her eyes as she mulled over her thoughts, “I… I can’t marry you now, you know that. We’ve got too much to work through.”

“I understand.”

“You’re going to have to work hard to regain my trust. At the moment I can’t tell you what you need to do to make it happen, or how long it will take. I don’t even know if it’s possible. And I think we should get some counselling, too, so we can try and sort it out properly – you know, some relationship therapy or whatever. And I don’t want Glimmer in our lives anymore.”

Catra gave a gasp that was much more audible than she intended, “Come on, I know you’re not her biggest fan right now, but she’s still our friend. And she’s just had a baby.”

“Nope,” she was steadfast, “All she will do is remind me of what you did. I can’t look at her without picturing the two of you together, and it hurts like hell every single time I think about it. If you really want to save this relationship, she has to be gone. It’s her or me.”

The answer came immediately, “It’s you. It’s always you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are looking up, right? Just slightly...
> 
> Next up, I'm going to do something a little different. Because I've still got a fair amount to write of the next story, to keep you going in the meantime, I will post a small collection of scenes that didn't make it to publication.
> 
> But after that, we move onto (don't cry) our final part. Where Catra will receive a visitor who changes everything, Glimmer will worry Bow, everyone will realise that they need their friends and someone will risk their life to show it.


End file.
